Unachievable
by AUAnnie
Summary: The way her persona and aura made him feel, it made him want to change; It made him want to be that "better version" of Eric, all the time. He often found himself seeking her out, pursuing this seemingly unachievable goal- Not only the "better Eric", but also Julia's empathy and compassion. Series of one-shots, focusing on the (simple loving) moments shared by Eric and Julia.
1. Prologue

**Hello readers of FanFiction! I got this idea for a story watching the most recent episode of Star-Crossed, and after much debate, here we are! This is actually a ****prologue to a series of one-shots, but is a one-shot in and of itself. Let me know if y'all want more of this story, and if you do, I'll work to post more! :) **

**I will always strive for proper punctuation, grammar, and vocab, but if you have any edits, leave a comment or PM me, and I'll consider your recommendation! This _is _my first FanFic, so bear with me! **

**Without further ado, I present to you one of the only Juric FanFictions. -_- Enjoy!**

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Eric never was one to _truly _fall for a girl.

He often commented on a girl being "_a sexy chick__" _or "_a hot babe_", but Julia… She was just _different. _He had fixed up her car a couple of times, and even driven her home after school once when her car broke down in the parking lot. When he was around her, he seemed to become a whole new version of Eric; he became a _better _version of Eric.

Julia was the nicest person he knew, and Emery Whitehill was pretty dang nice. The way she was always seeing the better side of people or speaking in a soothing voice. It came to show him that she was just the opposite of a "hot babe"- she was a luminous woman. Not a babe- a woman, a lady. The way her persona and aura made him feel, it made him want to change; It made him want to be that "_better version__"_of Eric all the time. He often found himself seeking her out, pursuing this seemingly unachievable goal- Not only the "better Eric", but also Julia's empathy and compassion.

…. Not that he would ever admit it.

When Emery and Roman came out about dating, he was was actually impressed. They were so determined to be together; to be happy, that they would face all of the hate and antipathy together. When the topic began to be discussed among his friends, it led to hostility towards the matter, and when it came down to them asking his opinion, he cracked a joke- in hopes that they would leave him alone so he could drop his façade. Just his luck, Julia, who had been coming to talk to _him, _overheard his whole comment. – Perfect.

Come the guilt of his actions, he spent all day searching in vain for Julia in order to apologize - of course, to no avail. It was only after the lockdown was lifted that he caught up to her in the parking lot. Hurriedly rushing through an apology and explanation, wanting her to understand – It slipped. "_**You are the nicest person I know.**__" _

She was the one to initiate the whole "kissing" ordeal, but once she did, he intended to never let her go; he had achieved that "_better Eric.__" _Momentarily, be it, but he would do everything within his power to reach his permanent goal. He would fight for Julia, because no matter how bad he was with trig, _or school for that matter_, he was smart enough to know that you fight for your better half- no matter the chase.

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**There you have it!**

**Feel free to leave any edits or ideas in the comments, and I will be happy to reply!**

**Farewell . . . For now . . .**

**~AUAnnie~**


	2. After The Moment

**It was a review that I received a couple days ago that ****sort of reminded me of this fic/ re-inspired me to keep writing it. Hope y'all enjoy! (Longer author note after the chapter)**

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"Hold up- You want me to believe that you want to go shoe shopping this late in the evening? Voluntarily? Without reason?"

Emery, though she is my best friend, knows how to sniff out a rotten egg when she comes across one, and let me be the first to tell you: My lying? It's about as rotten as Veruca Salt, from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. (One of the very few movies they ever play in the hospitals, because The Avengers is waaaay to violent and intense for those kids _visiting_ the **St. Luke****'****s Hospital for TEENS and ADULTS.**)

"Uhhhhhhhh… Isn't that what normal girls do? Shamelessly spend loads of money on useless items that have no meaning…"

"Not unless there's a mission, such as simplifying their lives that already reek of rich kid, desperately needing a pair of shoes that scream: 'Shoot me! I can't feel my feet!', needing to impress a certain blonde boy with a bad attitude…" Emery trails off, suggestively waggling her eyebrows. After she finishes, she continues. "I get that you want him to look at you, I just _don__'__t_ exactly get why."

"He doesn't have a bad attitude!" I quip a little to quickly, and close to three octaves too high. "He's really sweet and caring!" I add, not quite aiding my argument. After clearing my throat, I push on. "Just because he was a RedHawk, doesn't mean he still supports their cause." I smile inwardly for sounding as determined as I did in my head- '_Mental self-five_!'

"Fine, fine. I see your point… I guess…" I pull my '_puppy pout_'- only to be used on special occasions, mind you.

With an exasperated sigh, Emery grabs my elbow and pulls me into the parking lot towards Bruce. (My car) "_Geeeez._ YOU _HAAAD_ TO PULL _THE POUT_? That thing is some sort of brainwashing weapon, I swear…"

Yes, Emery. Yes it is. I feel my lips twitch up in a smirk as I swing into the car.

On the way to the shopping center, a song comes on the radio that catches my ear. It has a catchy intro, and I can't help but love the song immediately. As I idly listen to Emery banter about her first kiss with Roman, (Which by the way, was _UNDERWATER_. Pair of badasses…) I begin humming with the song, catching onto the tune quickly. Emery immediately snaps her head towards me - Shit…

"Don't you just love the beat? This song is _After the Moment _by_ Craft Spells_. It's on my jogging playlist." Letting out the the breath I didn't realize I was holding, I let the song take me back to the memory of Eric confessing in the parking lot- '_His eyes, his words, his lips__…_' It never ceases to amaze me how quickly such simple thoughts can make a light blush creep up my face.

"What's got you all crimson?" Emery manages to ask before breaking into a giggle fit.

"No one!" _Eric__… _"Nothing!" _Kissing in the moonlight__…_ "Leave me alone!" My blush has now entirely taken over my face, making it look like I have some sort of tourist sunburn… _Great_. Leave it to Emery to be the only one to make me blush like that over nothing…

* * *

Flipping through the dresses, I realize i have no clue what to buy- even what I'm looking for, for that matter. We had already looked at shoes, and decided to check out dresses, splitting to cover ground faster.

"THIS ONE!" Emery hollers from across the store. '_This__ is why I bring Emery shopping._'

I stride across the store, weaving through the racks of clothes, searching for Emery and the supposed 'One'. As I round another corner, I ram into some stranger, hitting a sensitive spot on my nose, bringing on an instant headache.

'_Was I really running that fast?!_' I immediately raise my hand to check for blood. Feeling the warm drops dripping down my hand, I groan in both pain and frustration. I then oddly hear my conscience: '_What kind of a __**jerk**__ runs into random people at a store, and doesn__'__t even check to see if they__'__re okay?!_'

"Are you alright?" I croak out, concealing my injury with my hand while looking at the floor, praying it will swallow me whole.

"Julia?"

My head snaps up, (probably not the best idea, seeing as I'm bleeding more than the Black Night- "_'__Tis nothing but a flesh wound!__"_) allowing me to come face to face with none other than Eric. His face is full of concern, yet uncertainty if he is actually seeing my loser self bleeding to death in a department store. '_It technically was his fault__…_'

"Uhhhhhhh… Julia who?" '_Wooooow, so, __so__, smooth Jules.__'_

"Erm… The Julia I happened to chase out of school last night, embarrassing myself in front of, and then _making ou_\- _dmsndmbmdvnv_" I snap my free hand over his mouth seeing Emery rounding one of the nearer shelves of clothing.

Impulsively, I move my hand from his mouth, grabbing his wrist and sprinting away from Emery's sight, to a large and conveniently circular rack of clothes. "_Do NOT let Emery see you here!_" I hiss, ducking under the rack. As I settle on the carpet, I remove my hand from my nose. "Shit…"

"Are you _bleeding_?" Eric hisses back, ducking through the dresses.

"Noooo…" I self consciously turn my head away from him, trying to contain the blood pooling in my hand. In a moment, he is entirely under the rack, pulling my chin, so I am directly facing him. When he tries to remove my hand, I pull away, feeling the blood start to drip through my fingers. "The carpet…" I squeak- a feeble argument to get him to leave me alone.

"_Jules, I swear__… __Just__… __Screw the carpet, okay!?_" he says, leaning towards me. He removes his button up shirt, leaving him in just an undershirt and torn jeans. Now I'm not quite sure _why_ my nose is bleeding…

Pulling my hand away from my face, he places the wadded shirt to my face. Sighing in admittance of defeat, I begin to lean back, only to have a hand on my shoulder stop me.

"_Do NOT lean backwards!_" he hisses, with a slightly concerned look on his face. "_The blood will drain into your system, and it could make you throw up__… __It__'__d be really gross._" He whispers in a nonchalant voice, looking away as the hand on my shoulder pulls me forwards.

I sit there, _trying _to think of how to get out of this situation, while my brain might as well be off in Tahiti. The smell of his cologne and _him _on his shirt absolutely intoxicating. '_If this is how it feels to get high__… __**SHUT. UP**__! Good girl mode, engage!__' _ I'm such a loser…

When I'm partially sure I'm done bleeding, I begin to sit back up, not removing the shirt from my face. He tilts his head, trying to get himself into my line of vision, (_He__'__s so cute__…__) _while I avert my gaze to the dresses on the racks surrounding us, _trying_ not to look too awkward.

"Is your… nose okay?…" He tentatively prods, looking away in an attempt to relieve tension.

"Uh… I think so…" I (hopefully) wipe away the last of the remnants of the nosebleed, hesitantly pulling the shirt away from my face. I sheepishly smile in appreciation, as I fold the shirt. He reaches out to receive it, but I wave him off. "It needs to be washed…" I say with guilt, placing the shirt in my messenger bag.

"No complaints from me." He supplies, a grin tugging at his face. "Just another reason to see you again." His million watt teeth peeking through that grin almost blind me. I look away, blushing, and decide to study the dresses. Eric catches onto the gesture, and cautiously asks through his grin. "What're you doing here anyways? I didn't quite peg you as a pleasure shopper."

"Uhhhhh…" I then realize I have the perfect alibi- Emery. "Em wanted a dress to wear to a… a date with Roman…" I turn to look if he bought the excuse- No such luck.

"Is that why she is desperately pacing around the store, yelling questions about _your_ dress size?" _Damn_ these detectives that surround me and call themselves my friends…

"Uhhhhh…" '_Think fast, think fast!__' "_I'm… going on their date too_?__" __Crap__… _I hate myself.

He begins chuckling in that wonderful low voice of his. "I'm going to give you the opportunity to tell me the truth, because you look like you desperately want to shoot yourself."

_You don__'__t even know__…"_I… Uhhhhhh… Wanted to go pleasure shopping? Normal girls do that right?" He continues to laugh, and I find that blush on my cheeks becoming more prominent.

"First off," He begins, wiping the beginnings of a laughing tear from his eye. "You, Julia, are anything but normal." I don't know why, but this makes me cringe in fear of not being good enough, of not being the girl he wants me to be. "In a good way!" He supplies. "That is- I like your different… Didn't we just go over this, like… last night? You are one of the kindest people I've ever met, and that's way more than enough to keep me around."

I'm pretty sure that my face is a lovely shade of scarlet, matching the red color of Michael Jordan, flying across Eric's Nikes… "I like you too- If that's what all that meant- because if that wasn't a confession, then I can take it back, if that'll make you more comfortable. I would hate for you to-" In that moment, I feel like one of those blubbering Disney girls, who when struggling to get something out, are silenced by some handsome _Prince Charming__'__s _kiss_. _The only difference is that instead of some romantic island or castle, we are kissing under a clothing rack in Macy's- Close enough for me.

The moment was great, until I remembered why I ran into Eric in the first place. Reluctantly pulling away, I avert my gaze, embarrassed like a schoolgirl that had just confessed to her crush- which is a surprisingly good description of what just happened. "My nose…" I trail off, bringing my hand up to my face.

"Damn, Julia. You just don't get it, do you?"

"Get what?" He makes me feel so self conscious, yet it's a willing self conscious… Almost like I want to impress him… '_Shut UP, Emery! I get it!__'_

He leans in quickly, grabbing the back of my head and pulling me towards him. As my eyelids flutter closed, he kisses me again, only this kiss is _much _harder, andmore intense than the first.

As we continue to kiss, my 'clean hand' goes up to his hair, my other one curling against his chest. It all feels so right, that is, until someone starts flipping through the dresses on the rack.

We break apart silently, and assess the situation. I can't think straight, '_Wellll, considering you were high on Eric__'__s shirt a couple minutes ag- SHUT. UP.__' _ shooting nervous looks between Eric and the fabric walls around us. He looks more ticked off than anything… '_Good__… __He liked it to- NO. NO HE DIDN__'__T. HE WOU-__'_ I feel myself snapped out of my reverie, as Eric pops through the dresses. I stumble to follow him, but his extended hand shoots into the enclosure, motioning to stop. '_What does he want me to do?__… __Hold it?__…' _I hear him instantly bombarded by interrogation questions- Emery.

I snigger to myself as quietly as I can, wanting not to be discovered. Noticing his hand, which is _still _dangling from outside, I reach into my purse, pulling out a can of half-used MACE. I diabolically smile to myself as I wait for Emery's 'What are you doing?' phase to pass, as it soon does.

"_Whats with the hand?_" I hear Emery's pointed question. I quickly slip the can into his hand, beginning to push it out.

There is a second of silence, where I imagine he is _trying _to evaluate what is in his hand.

"I was… Uhhhhhh…." '_He__'__s so cute when he stumbles with words.__' _"Carrying pepper spray, doesn't _everyone _always carry pepper spray?"

"You and Julia are two peas in a pod. I've never seen anyone else carry it before. Hers is half empty, because she sprayed a doctor who made an inappropriate joke, telling him that it's not appropriate to- …_waaiiiiit. _Where is she.- I know you two have been hiding from me together." As Emery mumbles something incoherent about us being conceited jerks, I reluctantly emerge from the clothing rack, quickly retrieving my pepper spray. "That's where that was! I've been searching _everywhere _trying to find it…" I trail of slowly, realizing how terrible of a lie that was.

"Y'all were getting pretty serious down there, weren't you?" Emery's pout is passed, and the shit-eating grin she's wearing, makes the cheshire cat's face look permanently passive.

"NO!" '_We would have if you didn__'__t interrupt us- NO! BAD NAUGHTY VOICE!__'_

_ "_Man, I want to see your version of serious." Eric adds, with that cocky, lopsided grin of his. '_Sexy bastard__…'_

I let out an exasperated sigh, and spin on my heels as Eric and Emery laugh together, walking away to seek escape in my car. I had gotten about five steps away, when Eric grabs my wrist.

"You never told me why you were here. " He looks serious, and even almost hurt…

"Uhhhh… I was-" '_Trying to find an outfit that__'__d make you notice me__…' _My thoughts are cut short by Emery wiggling her way back into the conversation. '_**Thank**__**you**__! Note to self: do not leave the house without keys, gum, my cell phone, or Emery, lest I want to humiliate myself in front of Eric.__'_

_ "_We were looking for a new pair of shoes, because Jules here, has a date." '_WTF EMERY I DO NOT.__' _Emery's grin, is again, putting the cheshire cat's to shame.

'_Keep cool. Em knows what she__'__s doing__… __I guess__…' _

"I do?" Emery is shooting a _needle_ of a pointed look at Eric. I'm so confused, but I feel like if I interrupt the stare, I'd be skewered next. -Don't get me wrong, I love Em- hell, she's my best friend, but she can be really, _really, _scary.

I stare at my feet for what feels like an eternity (though it was only a matter of seconds) and Eric is suddenly circling his arm around my waist. I look up at him in pure shock, surprised by the affectionate gesture.

"It's alright. She doesn't need new shoes. It's casual." And just like that, we are walking away from Emery, towards an exit. -It takes me a while to realize what is going on, as I'm being dragged out the front door.

"Wait- Bruce is in the parking garage." I say, trying to slow our pace. (to no avail.)

"We're not taking that piece of crap- I mean… _Lovely_ _rusted antique.__" _He proceeds to lead us to his car, even opening the door for me- how _chivalrous_ of him.

"So… Where are we going? I mean, now that you've _pretty much _kidnapped me." As he finishes swinging into the car and turns on the A.C. and radio, he looks me straight in the eyes, completely serious.

"Would you mind if we just continued that episode from under the clothes rack here?"

'_No. I wouldn__'__t mind at all.' _Alright, naughty voice. You win.

* * *

As we kiss, I notice a familiar song playing on the radio, it's happy beat seemingly infectious, causing me to smile into the kiss. Eric notices the smile, and pulls away.

"What did I do?" He asks, a grin creeping onto his face as well.

As I lean my head onto his shoulder, watching the streetlights flicker on one by one in the fleeting daylight, I respond. "Only all of the right things. After the moment with you, the one in the school lot, I feel like all of this is right."

"Because it is." As I began to blush, I felt him tilt my chin up so I could look him in the eyes. "Julia, lets keep continuing th-" This time I was the one to cut him off, and by the way his smile only grew into the kiss, I can tell we both enjoyed it.

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**Well... That's it for that chapter- Like? Dislike? Hungry? -Let me know via a comment or PM!** (**I don't know how to help you if you're hungry, unless it's more J****uric FanFic you're hungry for... :)**

**I am thinking of putting a cap on this story after 10 chapters- Thoughts? It also may end in a two-shot... Time can only tell. **

**Give me your thoughts on anything- New chap ideas, how many chaps it should be etc... I'm on summer break, so there is _actually _time to write this stuff! LEMME KNOW YOUR LOVELY THOUGHTS! (UGLY ONES MAY **ALSO** BE WELCOME...)**


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